Work at Sheetz distribution site proceeding on schedule

Published: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 06:02 PM.

Walls are being raised out at 1737 Whites Kennel Road in Burlington, and the Sheetz manufacturing and distribution center is beginning to take shape.

Sheetz Inc. announced in June that Greensboro-based Samet Corp. would oversee construction of the $32.8 million facility, which will include a Sheetz Bros. Kitchen bakery and distribution and warehousing center for the Sheetz distribution fleet, and serve as the main terminal for CLI Transport, Sheetz’s fuel carrier.

“We’re tracking right on schedule,” said John Medlin, senior project manager at Samet Corp. “We should complete the project in August.”

He said the building’s structural steel is in place, and the pre-cast insulated metal wall panels of the building’s exterior have been erected.

“Roofing is starting this week if the weather will be more friendly,” Medlin said, referencing the rain Burlington got early this week.

“We started sprinkler work,” he said, adding that the rest of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing work will be ongoing throughout the rest of the project’s timeline.

Walls are being raised out at 1737 Whites Kennel Road in Burlington, and the Sheetz manufacturing and distribution center is beginning to take shape.

Sheetz Inc. announced in June that Greensboro-based Samet Corp. would oversee construction of the $32.8 million facility, which will include a Sheetz Bros. Kitchen bakery and distribution and warehousing center for the Sheetz distribution fleet, and serve as the main terminal for CLI Transport, Sheetz’s fuel carrier.

“We’re tracking right on schedule,” said John Medlin, senior project manager at Samet Corp. “We should complete the project in August.”

He said the building’s structural steel is in place, and the pre-cast insulated metal wall panels of the building’s exterior have been erected.

“Roofing is starting this week if the weather will be more friendly,” Medlin said, referencing the rain Burlington got early this week.

“We started sprinkler work,” he said, adding that the rest of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing work will be ongoing throughout the rest of the project’s timeline.

“There’s a lot of that work to be done over the next several months,” Medlin said. “And then we’ll concentrate on the interior.”

So far, the work is on the right time frame.

“We’re still hoping for an August 2015 occupancy date,” said Ray Ryan, Sheetz executive vice president of distribution services. “And then from there it takes two months getting systems running, stocking, doing additional hiring and training.”

He said Sheetz hopes to begin delivering to local Sheetz stores by November or December 2015.

Ryan said Sheetz’s last large projects used contractors from out of state, and this is the first time the company has worked with Samet Corp.

“In this particular case, we wanted to see how it worked with the local construction company,” Ryan said.

In June, when Sheetz had announced its partnership with the Greensboro contractor, City Manager Harold Owen said, “Using local funds and buying materials (locally), … it’ll be an economic boost for our local building community.”

“This experience so far has been very positive,” Ryan said, adding that the company likely will consider more locally based contractors for its upcoming projects. “We would certainly give it consideration.”